Toy gun



July 3, 1934. MCDONALD 1,965,425

TOY GUN Filed Jan. 12, 1935 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY5 Patented July 3, 1934- UNITED STAT ES PAENT 2 Claims.

My invention relates to toy guns, and more particularly to guns provided with elastic bands adapted to receive and project objects such as peas, beans, and small stones.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a gun which will project a missile ac.- curately and rapidly, and which can be loaded without difficulty or injury to the operator.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a release mechanism which will not cut, or otherwise act to destroy the usefulness of the elastic band, and which will not readily get out of order.

Briefly, my invention comprises a toy gun provided with a stock and a barrel. An elastic band is secured at the end of the barrel by means of a staple and, after loading, is stretched rearwardly over a cross pin for engagement in a pocket formed between a pair of resilient fingers, These fingers are normally held together by a trigger slide and, when released, are forced apart by the forward movement of the missile. A resilient means connects the trigger and the trig ger slide so that the trigger slide is returned to its retaining position after being released.

A gun embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of my gun, parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a rear end view.

Referring now to the drawing, I show a gun in the form of a pistol, having a barrel 5 and a stock 6 which are preferably formed of wood, but can be readily stamped from sheet metal if desired. An elastic band '7 is secured to the end of the barrel and at its under side by means of a staple 8 which is adapted to allow the band to be drawn therethrough and its position shifted to provide for equal wear throughout. A pair of fingers 9 are secured to the gun by a screw 11 to receive a missile 12 after it has been seated in the elastic band and drawn upwardly and rearwardly over the ends of a pin 10 to place the band under tension. Although these fingers can be made as separate parts, they are shown i formed of one U--shaped piece of resilient material, such as spring steel, and having their ends formed to provide a pocket 13 adapted to receive a band engaged missile.

After the band engaged missile is received in l the pocket formed by the fingers, as shown in Fig. 1, it is adapted to be released by a forward movement of the trigger slide 14. This slide is provided with a pair of ears 16 which engage the outer sides of the fingers to hold them together, and is adapted to be actuated by a trigger 17 to move the ears out of engagement with the fingers. When the slide is moved forward out of engagement with the fingers, the tension on the band causes the missile to force the resilient fingers apart and to be projected from the gun.

The trigger 17, which is formed very inexpensively from a nail, passes through a hole 18 provided in the slide and is pivotally mounted in a converging-diverging slot 19 formed in the gun. A block of rubber 21 is mounted on the trigger near its upper end for engagement with a shoulder 22 to yieldabiy resist forward movement of the upper end of the trigger. The slide, trigger and block 21 are held against displacement by a metal cover 23 which is secured to the sides of the gun by means of screws 24.

In the manipulation of my gun, the missile is inserted in the end loop of the band and drawn upwardly and rearwardly over the pin 10 to a position directly behind the fingers and is then lowered in order to position the band between the fingers and in the pocket 13 where it is held until released. The missile is projected from the gun by pulling the trigger 1'7 which acts to draw the ears 16 formed on the slide 14 forward out of engagement with the fingers. After the ears 16 have been drawn out of engagement with the fingers, the elastic band draws the missile forwardly out of the pocket 13 thereby springing the fingers apart. As the fingers are formed of resilient material they will move towards each other to return to their normal positions after the missile has left the pocket. Upon the release of the trigger, the rubber block acts to move the slide 14 and trigger sitions in which the ears sides of the fingers.

As the elastic band is free to move through the staple, it will not be subjected to wear at any particular point throughout its circumference, thereby greatly increasing its period of usefulness.

By forming a converging-diverging slot 19 for the trigger to pivot in, it is not necessary to inour the expense of a cross bearing pin such as is usually employed to carry triggers, as the contracted portion of the slot serves that purpose. The wear plate 26 may be provided under the slide, if desired, and held in position by the screw 11 and cover 23.

16 engage the outer 1'7 back to their loading po- The cross pin 10 is employed 1 to maintain a clearance between the sides of the band, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent interference with the line of travel of the missile.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a toy gun having a barrel, an elastic band secured against displacement at the end of the barrel, a pair of resilient fingers mounted on the gun adapted to receive a band enclosed missile, a trigger slide, ears formed on the trigger slide for engagement with the fingers, a trigger adapted to actuate said slide to unlatch the fingers, means defining a converging-diverging slot adapted to receive the trigger for pivotal movement, and means defining a pocket between said fingers.

2. In a toy gun having a barrel, an elastic band secured against displacement at the end of the barrel, a pin secured in the end of the barrel over which the sides of the elastic band are adapted to be positioned, a pair of resilient fingers mounted on the gun adapted to receive a band enclosed missile, a trigger slide, ears formed on the trigger slide for engagement with the fingers, a trigger adapted to actuate said slide to unlatch the fingers, means defining a converging-diverging slot adapted to receive the trigger for pivotal movement, and means defining a pocket between said fingers.

DAVID MCDONALD. 

